Here's an unusual story:a diamond ring was recently found in an egg. The magician,Liu Qian,discovered it,in front of an audience of millions at CCTV's Spring Festival Gala. Liu's magic tricks have made the centuries?old art of magic fashionable once again,and made him the hottest magician in China.

As a seasoned young magician from Taiwan,Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the United States,Japan,South Korea and the UK.

Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people's love for magic.

Liu is known for his interaction (互动) with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship (演出技巧).

“It's actually thinking rather than one's manipulation (操作) skills that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively,to make them appear more interesting.”Liu said.

Liu Qian's success dated back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan,he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12,he won Taiwan's Youth Magic Contest,which was judged by the great American magician,David Copperfield.

Yet,Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur (业余的) magician in his spare time. However,his failure to find a proper job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.

To refine his performing skills,he has performed on streets,roads and fields for passers?by,policemen and farmers.

“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds,”Liu said.

1.The story is about ________.

A.Liu Qian's experiences of becoming a great magician

B.why people love magic

C.what magic tricks are

D.how fashionable magic is

2.People love to watch magic because ________.

A.they can't figure out the secret of magic

B.it makes them happy

C.they love watching magicians make something impossible happen

D.it is a centuries?old art

3.Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?

A.He was interested in magic when he was young.

B.He had won Taiwan's Youth Magic Contest.

C.He became an amateur magician in his spare time.

D.He couldn't find an acceptable job after graduation.

4.From the story we know that ________.

A.Liu Qian competed in many magic competitions

B.Liu Qian often invites audiences to be in his magic show

C.Liu Qian performs on streets in order to increase his fame

D.Liu Qian does street show to make money

 

Picture the scene: the battery on your mobile phone has run out. You can't make any calls for help and no one can contact you. You are all alone - well, not quite. Just reach into your pocket and take out a piece of sugar.Put it into the battery, wait a minute, and you're back on the phone.

Thanks to a couple of American scientists, this situation could become real.Swadesh Chaudhuri and Derek Lovely have invented the"bacteria battery" - powered by bacteria that eats sugar and turns it into electricity.

"This is a special organism," Lovely said."You can harvest enough electricity to power a cell phone battery for about four days from a spoonful of sugar."

In the past, bacteria batteries have been expensive and not long-lasting. But this battery uses more efficient bacteria that can turn 80 percent of sugar into electrical energy. This is 30 percent more than similar batteries can manage.

The bacteria battery could become as small as a household battery. It's also cheap and stable, as sugar can be taken from waste and crops.

But the sugar to electricity process is slow: it could take weeks for the bacteria to digest a cup of sugar.And it produces "greenhouse" gases which pollute the environment.

The scientists understand there is a lot more work to be done. "It is still young," said Lovely."Where we are now is where solar power was 200r 30 years ago."

But he believes the battery could be used in scientific equipment at the bottom of the ocean.Other ideas include using sugar in the blood to run medical devices in the human body, and taking sugar from animal waste to provide energy to power homes in rural areas.

1.This passage is mainly about_ .

A. how to change sugar into electricity

B. a scientific invention of a new kind of bacteria battery

C. a new way to reduce pollution caused by mobile phones

D. a new kind of mobile phones and its future

2.Which of the following is not the strong point of the newly-developed battery?

A. Convenient. B.Stable. C. Inexpensive. D. Quick.

3.The underlined sentence in the 7th paragraph actually means .

A. the bacteria battery shares some similarities with solar energy

B. scientists will continue their work until they find solar power

C. there is much room for the improvement of the bacteria battery

D. the bacteria battery will get popular in 20 0r 30 years

4.According to the passage, who will find the bacteria battery less useful?

A. Farmers. B. Divers. C. Doctors. D. Electricians.

 

OSCAR THEATRE

BOOKING

- in person

The Box Office is open Monday to Saturday, 10 am-8 pm.

- by post

Stating the performance and choice of seats, enclosing a cheque, postal order, or your credit card details to Oscar Theatre Box Office, PO Box 220, Main street. All cheques should be made payable to Oscar Theatre.

- by telephone

Ring 0844 847 2484 to reserve your tickets or to pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard accepted).

- on-line

Complete the on-line booking form at www.oscartheatre.com.

DISCOUNTS

Saver: $2 off any seat booked any time in advance for performances from Monday to Thursday inclusive, and for all matinees(下午场). Savers are available for children up to 16 years old, over 60s and full-time students.

Supersaver: half-price seats are available for people with disabilities and one companion. It is advisable to book in advance. There is a maximum of eight wheelchair spaces available and one wheelchair space will be held until one hour before the show (subject to availability).

Standby: best available seats are on sale for $6 from one hour before the performance for people eligible(有资格的) for Saver and Supersaver discounts and thirty minutes before for all other customers.

Group Bookings: there is a ten per cent discount for parties of twelve or more.

Schools: school parties of ten or more can book $9 tickets in advance and will get every tenth ticket free.

Please note: we are unable to exchange tickets or refund money unless a performance is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

1.How can you pay for a ticket when you book by post?

A. By visiting the website of a post office.

B. By going to you local bank in person.

C. By enclosing your MasterCard in an envelope.

D. By providing your credit card information.

2.What benefit can bookers enjoy according to the text?

A. A group of ten adults going to a performance can claim a discount.

B. A school party of 15 persons that book in advance pay $135 in total for a performance.

C. Someone accompanying a wheelchair user to a performance receives a discount.

D. An 18-year-old teenager is eligible for Saver discounts.

3.According to the text, who can get Standby tickets?

A. Full-time students buying tickets 45 minutes before a performance begins.

B. 65-year-olds buying tickets an hour and a half before a performance begins.

C. Theatre-goers who are unexpectedly unable to be present at a performance.

D. Anyone who buys tickets an hour before a performance begins.

 

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